Put simply, Moët & Chandon are the most famous producers in Champagne. With production (rumoured to be in the region of thirty million bottles annually) accounting for over one-tenth of the entire region's, their role as an image builder for the appellation as a whole cannot be overstated. First founded in 1743 by Claude Moët, it was the marketing acumen of Rémy Moët which initiated the brand's international fame and mass volume production. Realising the business potential of his close friendship with Napoleon, Rémy even built the emperor a palace, Trianon on Avenue de Champagne.

Since then, Moët & Chandon have grown by acquiring other champagne estates, selling them forward and keeping their prestigious vineyards. Such large-scale production could only operate under the leadership of a truly superb Chef de Caves and in Benoît Gouez, Moët have one of the best. With a ten-man oenologist team led by chief Dom Pérignon winemaker Richard Geoffroy, Benoît has access to the most academic minds and palates in the region, no doubt a huge driving factor behind his success. Now proprietors to the largest amount of land: some 1,190-hecatres of rich limestone soil, and the largest extent of cellars: over twenty eight kilometres, Moët & Chandon's future is as secure as their champagnes are delicious.

Moët & Chandon Impérial NV is the world's most popular champagne: a guaranteed classic produced in astonishing numbers with remarkable consistency year upon year, batch upon batch. Production reached such a immense volume, the House had to invest in a new state-of-the-art winery designed solely for Moët Impérial NV. The most automated cellar in the region uses super modern equipment and winemaking innovations not seen anywhere else in the world. First introduced in the 1860s, Brut Impérial NV is an assemblage of over two hundred crus with around 20-30% carefully selected reserve wines added to complete the prestige blend.

Tasting Note:The colour is a golden yellow with fine bubbles. On the nose fresh fruits combine with citrus notes of lemon and orange. On the palate more citrus flavour show through with great balance. The mid-palate opens to a focused flavour of refreshing acidity. A very clean finish with impressions of white peach.

“Moët's white golden NV Impérial Brut is an assemblage of equal parts of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier (30% to 40% of each) and a smaller proportion of Chardonnay. Bright and fresh fruit aromas of yellow apples, ripe pears and lemons, along with floral flavors and a hint of stones and almond croissant lead to a medium-bodied, elegant, pretty intense and well structured palate; it has nice freshness and generous fruit. The finish reveals a stimulating grip and a moderate sweetness (dosage is nine grams per liter). Very good and less sweet than in former years. (Lot LAI2C)”

Richard Hemming MW,

JancisRobinson.com,

Jun 2015

16.5/20

“Distinctive, slightly bruised apple scent. Fleshy on the palate. Reassuringly good quality for a leading brand. (RH)”

Wine Enthusiast,

WineMag.com,

Jan 2015

+

89/100

“Worldwide still the biggest-selling Champagne (28 million bottles a year), this well-made wine is ripe and full of fruit. Produced under the direction of chef de cave Benoît Gouez (Wine Enthusiast Winemaker of Year in 2013), it has flavors of almonds and toast, with crisp acidity. The aftertaste brings grapefruit freshness.”

Josh Raynolds,

VinousMedia.com,

Jan 2005

+

90/100

“(roughly 50% Pinot Noir, 35% Pinot Meunier and 15% Chardonnay; 9 g/l dosage; LAIBG): Light, bright yellow. Musky pear and toasty lees on the nose and in the mouth. Fleshy and open-knit, with a hint of bitter lemon pith adding back-end cut. Finishes on a gently smoky note, with very good cling and focus and a hint of bitter quinine. This must be the best example of this bottling that I've had in years, if not decades. In the past the Imperial Brut received a dosage of 12 g/l, but no more; in fact, there's talk that in the near future it may be dropped down as far as 7 g/l.”

Moet & Chandon History

The famous Champagne house Moët & Chandon was first founded in 1743 by Claude Moët, a wine trader, and was originally called Moët et Cie (Moët and Co). However, Claude's grandson Jean Remy Moët was the man who drove the house onto the heights it has reached today.

Following the introduction of the concept of a vintage champagne in 1840, Moët marketed its first vintage in 1842. Their best-selling brand, Brut Imperial was introduced in the 1860s. Moët & Chandon is the world's largest producer of Champagne, making over 26 million bottles per year. The 1,190 hectares of rich limestone soil, 50% of which is classified Grand Cru and 25% Premier Cru make up the largest vineyard area in Champagne. Further, not only does the house own the most amount of land but also the largest extent of cellars, some 28 kilometres.

Moët & Chandon merged with Hennessy Cognac in 1971 and with Louis Vuitton in 1987 to become LVMH (Louis-Vuitton-Moët-Hennessy), the largest luxury group in the world, netting over €37.6 billion in fiscal 2016. Moët & Chandon hold a royal warrant as supplier of Champagne to Queen Elizabeth II.